Kentucky Lake: Spring of '09

    Spring is just a few days away, the lake has warmed up to about 55ºF, my sailing season will be here soon. The lake is still at Winter pool, shallow, but it will be on its annual rise by the end of this month, March. 

     As with all bodies of water, you should familiarize yourself with the lake and one of the best ways is to purchase a map of Kentucky Lake. These maps are available at almost every bait and tackle store in the lakes area. I have navigated this lake for over 25 years and I still tap the bottom once in a while, especially during low water periods, late Fall and early Spring. Last Fall, I was "cutting a corner" and jumped a shallow gravel bar, grinding a new edge on my glass- over-mahogany rudder and breaking a rudder fitting. I knew better, knew there was a gravel bar in the area but I figured the water depth was adequate, I guessed wrong. This happened in the area of "Old Birmingham", the submerged town of Birmingham, KY. 

    Land Between the lakes took a hard hit from our recent ice storm, lots of trees were toppled, lots of huge limbs broke from the trees, never seen such a mess. The Trace, the road that bisects LBL, was closed for quite a while because of fallen trees on the road. The bicycle paths were also blocked, closed to the public. Since the storm, bicycle enthusiasts have gathered with Wood n Wave together with the US Forest Service and have cleared the trails. Mountain biking has become one of the most popular activities in the LBL thanks in large part to the support and encouragement from Wood n Wave. Hundreds of miles of excellent trails of varying degrees of difficulty through some of the most beautiful country in the MidWest are available to biking enthusiasts, ride on!